Church interpretation of the prayer Psalm 101
In the Hebrew, Latin and Orthodox Bibles, Psalm 101 is listed as anonymous, but based on some signs one can guess, if not the authorship, then at least the time of its writing.
The Christian text of Psalm 101 is written from the perspective of a person suffering because of God’s disfavor, manifested in the form of various failures and hardships in life, but in the context of the psalm this person personifies an entire people. Psalm 101 depicts Jerusalem as destroyed and the Tabernacle of the Covenant as devastated, leading scholars to believe that it describes the period of the Babylonian captivity.
Christian Psalm 101 is a prayer for people in authority
The text of Psalm 101 changes its theme several times: from the suffering of the author, it smoothly moves to the greatness of God and His love for His chosen people. Then in his lines there appears confidence that the Lord will not abandon Israel and will restore it after the destruction, but at the end the psalmist again complains about the misfortunes that shorten the days of his life, and also asks God not to take him away now, when he has lived only half of his allotted life. he has time. It is recommended to listen online, read and watch a video with the text of Psalm 101 about representatives of power, so that the Creator gives them wisdom to rule godly.
Listen to the video of the Orthodox prayer Psalm 101 in Russian
Read the text of the prayer Psalm 101 in Russian
The prayer of a sufferer when he becomes discouraged and pours out his sorrow before the Lord.
God! Hear my prayer, and let my cry come to You. Hide not Your face from me; in the day of my tribulation, incline Your ear to me; on the day when I cry to You, hear me quickly; For my days are gone like smoke, and my bones are burned like a brand; my heart is smitten and withered like grass, so that I forget to eat my bread; because of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my flesh. I am like a pelican in the desert; I became like an owl on the ruins; I don’t sleep and sit like a lonely bird on the roof. Every day my enemies revile me, and those who are angry with me curse me. I eat ashes like bread, and I dissolve my drink with tears, because of Thy anger and Thy indignation, for Thou hast exalted me and cast me down. My days are like a retreating shadow, and I am withered like grass. But You, Lord, remain forever, and Your memory endures forever. You will arise, you will have mercy on Zion, for the time has come to have mercy on it, for the time has come; for Thy servants have loved its stones, and have pity for its dust. And the nations will fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth will fear Your glory. For the Lord will build Zion and appear in His glory; He will listen to the prayers of the helpless and will not despise their prayers. This will be written about for the generation that follows, and the generation to come will praise the Lord, for He came down from His holy height, the Lord looked down from heaven on earth to hear the groan of the prisoners, to loose the sons of death, so that they might proclaim the name of the Lord in Zion and His praise in Jerusalem, when nations and kingdoms are gathered together to serve the Lord. He exhausted my strength along the way, He shortened my days. I said: My God! do not take me away in half my days. Your summers in childbirth. In the beginning You, O Lord, founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands; they will perish, but You will remain; and they will all wear out like a robe, and like a garment You will change them, and they will be changed; but You are the same, and Your years will not end. The sons of Your servants will live, and their seed will be established before You.
Orthodox psalter, text of Psalm 101 in Church Slavonic language
Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you. Do not turn your face away from me; In the day when I mourn, incline your ear to me; One day I will call you, hear me soon. As if my days had disappeared, like smoke, and my bones had dried up. I was wounded like grass, and my heart was gone, as if I forgot to take my bread. Because of the voice of my groaning my bone cleaves to my flesh. We became like the tawny owl of the desert, like a nighttime corvid on a ruin. Bdekh and bykh like a special bird on the roof. All day long I have been reproached by you, and those who praise me are cursed by me. Behind me there is ashes like bread, food, and my drink dissolved with weeping, from the face of your anger and rage; For as you exalted you, you cast me down. My days have turned away like the shade, and I have dried up like hay. But you, Lord, endure forever, and your memory endures forever. You have risen and spared Zion; for it is time to be generous to him, for the time has come. For your servants are well pleased with the stone of him, and the dust will destroy him. And the heathen shall fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth shall fear thy glory; for the Lord will build Zion and appear in his glory. Consider the prayer of the humble and do not despise their prayers. Let this be written for generations, and the people of the land praise the Lord; as if from the height of His holiness, the Lord looked down from heaven to earth, to hear the sighing of the chained, to release the sons of the slain; proclaim the name of the Lord in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem, and always gather together the people and the king who are working for the Lord. Answer him on the way of his fortress; Thou shalt bring unto me the lowliness of my days; do not bring me to the end of my days; in the generation of your summer. In the beginning, O Lord, you founded the earth, and the works of your hand are the heavens. They will perish, but you remain; and they will all promise like a robe, and like a garment, and they will be changed. You are the same, and your years will not become scarce. The sons of your servants will dwell, and their seed will be corrected forever.
Source
Interpretation of Psalm 148 by Theodoret of Cyrus
The interpretation of sacred books was carried out by saints from different eras.
That is why in Orthodoxy the Holy Scriptures (the Bible, Psalms, Gospels, etc.) are revered along with patristic traditions (interpretations). One of the earliest interpretations of the Psalter was compiled by Bishop Theodoret of Cyrus of Antioch (393-457 AD). The theologian explains each verse of the psalm. Hallelujah
An appeal to greater zeal of the soul to sing songs to the Creator. The exclamation, which in this context can be translated as “All together!”
1 Praise the Lord from heaven, praise him in the highest.
Moses teaches that the Lord created two heavens. One along with the Earth, he commanded the other to be among the waters and called it the firmament. David calls upon the Lord to sing songs from heaven and on high, that is, to the disembodied faces that dwell in both heavens. The prophet calls on the angels to join in singing and praise the Lord with him.
2 Praise him, all his angels: praise him, all his might.
Now the prophet turns to certain angelic ranks: Power and Strength, because they are mighty in strength, doing His word (Ps. 103:20).
3 Praise Him, O sun and moon; Praise Him, all you stars of light.
Theodoret of Cyrus cites the previous description of Symmachus: praise all the stars of light, but in the translation of the Seventy it turns out differently. God created light on the first day, and the heavenly bodies on the fourth. That is why the prophet David mentioned the light separately and calls upon the sun, moons and stars additionally, addressing them as animate and verbal creations. At the same time, he addresses people, urging them to look at the heavenly bodies as creations of God’s wisdom and to tirelessly praise the Lord.
4 Praise Him, the heavens of heavens: and the waters are above the heavens.
God divided the watery nature into the firmament and commanded the solar fire to move through the hardened waters. This way the fire does not go out and the hardened water does not evaporate. King David refers to heaven in the plural, according to the rules of the Hebrew language, according to which the word heaven is not used in the singular.
5 Let them praise the name of the Lord, for He commanded, and they were created;
David says that it is worthy to glorify the Creator, who created with the Word and created in the beauty that we see.
6 He established them forever and ever; gave a statute that will not pass away.
And he not only created, but also continues to think about creation, due to which all creatures, animate and inanimate, continue to exist as long as He pleases. And everyone fulfills His laws: the sea does not overflow its banks, day and night follow each other. Only people neglect God's laws.
7 Praise the Lord from the earth, you great fish and all the deeps,
By great fish we mean whales that live in the seas - parts of the earth. Great is the wisdom of the Creator, who imprisoned huge animals in the seas, showing their power, but protecting people from them so that they would not be harmed.
8 Fire and hail, snow and fog, a stormy wind that fulfills His word,
Fire can appear not only on the ground, but also form in the air in the form of lightning and fireballs. Snow, hail and fog come from water; storms, which David calls a stormy spirit, also refer to atmospheric phenomena due to the difference in pressure and humidity. Such phenomena obey God, but do not behave like something animate and intelligent.
9 the mountains and all the hills, the fruit trees and all the cedars,
Thank you to the Lord not so much from amazement at the greatness of His creatures, but also from the benefits to man - extensive and varied.
10 beasts and all livestock, creeping things and winged birds,
David separates the fierce beasts from the meek, but encourages both to praise the Lord, because there is not a single creature that is useless or superfluous, although this is hidden from our knowledge.
11 The kings of the earth and all the nations, the princes and all the judges of the earth,
The prophet calls on kings, nations, princes and judges to glorify the Lord.
12 youths and maidens, elders and youths
May immature and overripe age also praise the Lord.
13 Let them praise the name of the Lord, for His alone is exalted, His glory is on earth and in heaven.
They praise the name of the Lord, because the memory of other false gods has faded, and the only One who exists will not pass through the centuries, not only in heaven, but also on earth.
14 He has exalted the horn of His people, the glory of all His saints, the children of Israel, the people who are close to Him.
The Lord will exalt the people who honor Him. A horn is a fortress; King David refers to the likeness of animals armed with horns. God will make this people not only strong, but also revered. The Lord will give glory to the children of Israel and the people close to Him. Further, Theodoret of Cyrus writes that the celebrity passed with piety, and the Israelites lost that glory, but the pagans will receive the gifts of God. The theologian foresaw the spread of the Orthodox faith throughout the world, and people who were pagans in the 4th century would become pious Christians.
The history of writing the psalm
There is no consensus among the priesthood and interpreters of the Holy Scriptures regarding the authorship of this prayer of lament. Some theologians are inclined to believe that this song of despair was written by David during the uprising of Absalom, the king’s eldest son. Driven into caves, suffering from cruelty and betrayal of a loved one, David more than once cried out, shouted, and cried to God, seeing no way out of the situation.
Other theologians attribute Psalm 101 to the period of the Babylonian captivity of the Jewish people and give the authorship of its writing to one of the prophets Daniel, Nehemiah and another person.
When and why is Psalm 106 read?
Psalm 106 is part of the XV Kathisma. In accordance with this, in Orthodox churches it is read at Friday services in Church Slavonic. When praying at home, in order to better understand the meaning, it is allowed to read Psalm 106 in Russian. During Lent, the psalter is read in church twice a week, so the text of Psalm 106 is read on Tuesday and Friday. Kathismas are not allowed during Bright Week.
The Monk Arsenios of Cappadocia used psalms for blessings suitable for various life occasions, especially if there was no church service for a special need. So he advised reading Psalm 106 to get rid of female infertility.
Interpretation of the song of lamentation and hope
For those who do not know the Old Russian language, the most accessible way is to read Psalm 101 in Russian in order to experience all the grief and sadness that the psalmist experienced during the period of writing the prayer of lament.
1 Prayer of the poor, when he becomes discouraged and pours out his prayer before the Lord
2 Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry ascend to You!
3 Turn not Your face away from me; on the day when I mourn, incline Your ear to me; on the day when I call on You, soon hear me!
4 For my days are gone like smoke, and my bones are dried up like brushwood.
5 I was cut off like grass, my heart was withered, and I even forgot to eat my bread.
6 Because of my ceaseless groaning my bone has become dry to my flesh.
7 I became like a desert bird; I was like an owl in the night on the ruins.
8 I was awake and like a lonely bird on the roof.
9 My enemies reviled me every day, and those who formerly praised me denied me with an oath.
10 I ate ashes with bread and drank water with tears,
11 I am oppressed by Your anger and Your wrath, for You exalted me, but then brought me down.
12 My days are gone like a shadow, and I am dried up like hay.
13 But You, O Lord, remain forever, and You are remembered from generation to generation.
14 You will arise and show mercy to Zion, for the time to show mercy has already come!
15 For Your servants have loved the stones of Zion, and even its dust is dear to their heart.
16 And the nations shall fear the name of the Lord, and the kings of the earth his glory;
17 For the Lord will raise up Zion and appear in His glory.
18 He heard the prayer of the humble, and did not reject their prayers.
19 Let this be known to the generations to come, and our descendants will praise the Lord;
20 For He bowed down from His holy height, the Lord looked down from Heaven to earth;
21 He will hear the groans of the captives, He will untie the bonds of the sons of slain fathers.
22 And the name of the Lord will be proclaimed in Zion; they will glorify Him in Jerusalem,
23 When nations and kings are gathered together to serve the Lord.
24 I said to God when I was in the fullness of my strength: “Tell me how many days of my life are left.
25 Do not take away my life halfway through my years!” Your years are countless!
26 In the beginning You, O Lord, created the earth, and the work of Your hands is the heavens.
27 They will perish, but You remain forever; like clothing, they will wear out, and like a robe, you will wear them, and they will be transformed;
28 But You remain unchanged, and Your years will not fail.
29 The sons of Your servants will dwell with the righteous, and their descendants will live forever in righteousness.
When reading the lamentable ode, the main lines can be identified:
It is written that this is the prayer of a beggar who has lost everything at a certain moment in his life, and it does not matter whether you are a king or a shepherd, the Lord is ready to listen to everyone.
The opening verses of Psalm 101 convey a terrible picture of disaster. This could be David’s stay in the caves, surrounded by the enemy, or the life of the Jews in exile, when God’s temple was destroyed, the people were reproached by enemies, forced to worship idols under pain of death.
Describing his difficult situation, the author compares himself to a burnt brand, in which there is nothing living left; touch it and it will turn to ashes.
The author is well acquainted with the natural world. He compares himself to a pelican, which needs water to live, but is driven into the desert, where the only liquid is the tears of an enslaved captive.
The eagle owl is a nocturnal bird; it is foolish for him to think about the sun. Likewise, a people in captivity cannot dream of prosperity.
The Jewish people have become a prototype of misfortunes; if they wish someone harm, then they curse them as Jews. We read about this in verse 9.
The psalmist realizes his guilt and understands the situation he has found himself in. Once exalted to the pinnacle of glory and prosperity, the Jewish people began to worship idols and were cast into the abyss of captivity.
Having provoked the wrath of the Lord, a person dries up like grass under the scorching rays of the sun. The life of the Jews was as unstable as the shadow that disappears from any cloud.
In the middle of the verse, the author of the psalm shouts to God, asking Him to send help, for the Lord and His promises are eternal, He has His mercy or punishment at all times.
From verses 16 to 23 there is confidence that the prayer of a humble and repentant heart will certainly be heard by God, and those captives of circumstances will be released from captivity.
The Lord created man for His glory, and the prisoner rescued from captivity promises to proclaim the praises of the Savior before all nations.
The psalmist is confident in the salvation granted by the Almighty, however, the time of human life and his physical capabilities are limited, so the author begs God to grant him a vision of the moment of salvation.
At the end of his ode, the psalmist raises his voice, he no longer weeps, he sings a song of praise to the Lord, asserting that everything created can disappear, but God is eternal, existing from the beginning, in whom there is no end.
Interpretation
A voluminous prayer requires explanation, so the interpretation of the verses of Psalm 104 allows us to understand all the greatness of the Lord.
Verses 1-5: In them the singer calls on the people of God to tell the whole world about the great things of the Lord. Glorify him and tell the people about him, about the creation of the earth and the role of the Almighty in relation to all humanity. People should praise God as a sign of gratitude and appreciation. The task of people is the search for God and faith. Only they will help you feel the joy of life, alleviate suffering and instill hope for a better life.
Verse 6: The descendants of Abraham were commissioned to bring the good news to the people. This meant not the actual descendants of his family, but representatives of all nations who accepted Christianity, regardless of age and gender. The Lord's servants must carry the word of God to other people, explaining the truth about it.
Verses 7-11: The promises of the Lord are holy, and this is the promise made to Abraham. He and his descendants must receive the land of Canaan for eternal use, but this will happen in due time, but this will happen when the world order of God is established under the rule of Jerusalem.
Verses 12-15: God sacredly protected the descendants of Abraham from the moment when the number of the family was still small. Abraham's children felt like strangers among those around them. The Lord forbade them to be harmed.
Verses 16-19: we are talking about the exaltation of Joseph in Egypt, for whom the Lord prepared serious trials, including prison.
- Verses 20-21: In order to appear before the eyes of the Egyptian Pharaoh, Joseph passed the tests appointed by the Lord. In this way, God was able to verify Joseph's faithfulness to the works of God.
- Verse 22: In Egypt, Joseph was entrusted with teaching the nobles, which is not surprising, since Joseph was a conductor of the wisdom of the Lord.
- Verses 23-24: It tells of God's decision to preserve the purity of the blood of the people of Israel, even though their representatives lived in a foreign land. Mixing his blood with foreigners was considered unacceptable, which significantly strengthened the Israeli family.
- Verses 25-27: At the appointed time, the Lord decided that the Israelites should leave Egypt. Moses became his guide, and Aaron was assigned to help him. God sent them his signs, which were supposed to indicate the time of his arrival in Israel.
- Verses 28-36: The Lord brought down His punishment on Egypt, where they doubted the truth of His Word: He sent darkness, turned the water into blood and killed the fish, depriving the apostates of food. Instead of rain, hail was sent, causing the death of vineyards and fruit trees, and also sent other punishments that impressed the people of Israel and instilled faith in the power of God.
- Verses 37-38: It says that after ten plagues were committed on the Egyptians, the Israelites were taken out of Egypt. They were very happy about this, because they were tired of the spectacle of executions and were afraid of the power of God.
- Verses 39-44: The Lord protected the Israelites who went to the promised land, sending them food and drink on the way to Canaan, thereby fulfilling the promise given to Abraham. And he gave as an inheritance land where there was no need to work - it was already ready for life on it.
- Verse 45: Everything that happened to the people of Israel was provided for by the promise to Abraham that people would live according to God's rules, keep them, and receive the blessing of the Lord.
We advise you to study the Prayers to the Belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Psalter | psalm 101
The first verse provides a general indication of the content of the psalm, as the prayer of the righteous addressed to God during the period of his tribulations. By righteous here we do not mean an individual person, and by disasters - not the deprivations and failures of a private person, but the former is taken to designate an entire people, is a collective person, and therefore his disasters are the disasters and sufferings of an entire people. According to the psalm, the latter is depicted as lonely and covered in reproaches from his enemies (vv. Ps. 101_7–9). Zion appears destroyed and the Jewish people can only mourn its stones, but cannot begin to restore it, for which they pray to the Lord (Ps. 101_14-15). This picture of the state of the Jewish people and Jerusalem indicates the time of the Babylonian captivity, when the Jews lived among other nations and when the time of its end, already appointed by the prophet Jeremiah, was approaching. The writer of the psalm is unknown.
Lord, hear me in the day of my sorrow and severe disasters (2-3), which dried me up. I am alone, like a pelican, and my enemies curse me. My food is dissolved in tears (4–10). Because of Your wrath, I withered like grass (11–12). Arise, O Lord, have mercy on Zion, whose stones we mourn; send Your help, which is now time, so that the nations will fear Your name (13-16). The Lord will hear the prayer of the prisoners and bring them back to Zion so that they will proclaim the name of the Lord before all nations (17–23). Although this rescue from captivity will undoubtedly occur, the writer fears that his generation, exhausted by disasters, will not live to see this happy time. For the eternal God, the passage of time does not matter, but it is not so with man, whose life is short, and in difficult conditions of captivity it can be shortened even more. The writer prays to the eternal and all-generous God to let him see the time of salvation, when the sons of His servants will begin a new life (24–29).
About daily reading of the Six Psalms
It is recommended to read the Six Psalms daily, that is, Psalms 3, 37, 62, 87, 102, 142.
Six Psalms (Exapsalms)
Six Psalms
- These are six psalms that are read at the beginning of Matins.
The Six Psalms begins with a doxology: Glory to God in the highest,
and a prayer:
Lord, open my lips.
During the sixth psalm and at the end of it, the Holy Trinity is glorified with threefold
alleluia.
The psalms that make up the sixth psalm are so touching, their content is so close to us (they depict, on the one hand, the greatness of God and the abundance of His benefits to man, on the other, the insignificance and sinfulness of man), that the Holy Church pays special attention to our for this reading. The charter says that during this reading “no one has the power to create whispers, even spit or spit; but more than anything, listen to the words spoken by the psalmist, with his hands bent towards his chest, his heads bowed, and his eyes down (lowered to the ground), with his heart eyes looking towards the east, praying for our sins, remembering death, and future torment, and eternal life.”
To arouse greater attention in the worshipers, when reading the shestop-salmiya, the charter commands to extinguish the candles and remain in the light of the lamps.
Psalm 3
This psalm is the first of the so-called six psalms, which is part of Matins, and its purpose is to give thanks to God for preserving life during the past night with a prayer for the sending of prosperity in the coming day, with which this psalm is in agreement (I go to bed, I sleep, I get up... Arise, Lord! Save me
…)
Psalm 37
This psalm occupies second place in the six psalms. Through the words of this psalm, each believer brings repentance before God of his sinfulness with a confession of complete submission in devotion to His will (v. 16). The man here expresses a desire in the coming day to make amends for the evil deeds he has done (v. 19).
Psalm 62
Psalm 62 occupies third place in the sixth psalm, composing a prayer to God at the coming of the day so that it (the prayer) will be pleasing to God (v. 6
) and that the Lord would accept the one praying under “the shadow of His wings” (v.
8
) throughout the coming day.
Psalm 87
This is the fourth psalm in the sixth psalm. The darkness of the night resembles hell, sleep resembles death. The purpose of this psalm in the morning service: before the onset of the day, the Church reminds a person of the need for effort on his part to avoid rejection from God, which is possible only with the help of God and prayer to Him (vv. 5, 14), so as not to be subjected to eternal night, eternal death.
Psalm 102
The fifth psalm in the sixth psalm shows an image of God’s merciful attitude towards man and is distinguished by its extraordinary touchingness.
Psalm 142
This psalm is the last in the sixth psalm. Having strengthened a person in the hope of receiving salvation (Ps. 102), the Church, on behalf of the believers, prays to God to show him the path of action (v. 8
), teach him to do His will and make him worthy
of the land of righteousness
(v.
10
).
Why read Psalm 104?
In worship, Psalm 104 is used quite often among different peoples - for different reasons: as the end of a prayer, in memorial services, in morning and afternoon prayers.
Orthodoxy uses it at the beginning of Vespers and is called pre-initial. His choice is clear: the song tells about the six days of the creation of the world, which began in the evening. No rituals are performed during the reading. Moreover, the priest leaves the altar, where prayers are usually read, and the royal doors are closed. This action is intended to recall Adam, who was expelled from paradise and stood in front of its closed gates.
On the eve of great church holidays it is performed in a particularly solemn style. Why Psalm 104 is read is clear from the explanations given for the Christian version. The prayer turns to the Lord for the forgiveness and repentance of sinners.
Interpretation
The psalmist offers blessings to God on behalf of the community of faithful people gathered for the sacrifice. In the lyrics of the song, the Lord is extolled as the Savior.
Psalm 106 can be divided into four episodes or parts (verses 4-9, 10-16, 17-22, 23-32). They are arranged in a single composition according to the model: punishment for sins in the form of suffering, prayers for salvation, salvation itself. The author who created this psalm sought to convey to his compatriots the idea of \u200b\u200bthe need to praise the Lord and humbly obey Him.
For a more detailed interpretation of Psalm 106, one should consider its verses individually:
- Verses 1-2 - the author turns to God and praises him.
- Verse 3 - the psalmist talks about the Red Sea, through which the Jewish people had to pass when leaving Egypt, and about the four cardinal directions, from where the Lord again gathered the Jews to Blessed Palestine.
- Verses 4-7 - describe the picture of the moral oppressed state of the Jews, their desire for their native Palestine.
- Verses 7-8 - the author says that the Lord showed the Jewish people a straight path to return to their homeland.
- Verse 9-19 - these verses describe the feeling of joy of people upon returning to their homeland, it says that the prayers of the suffering were heard.
- Verses 19-22 – The psalmist draws a comparison between being in captivity and being in a dark prison cell, in which the “prisoner” would certainly perish if not for “the word of the Lord.”
- Verses 23-32 - these verses describe the insecure and powerless life of the Jews in captivity, their salvation by the Lord.
- Verses 33-34 paint a picture of Palestine devastated by wars.
- Verses 35-38 - the psalmist joyfully says that the hard work of the Jewish people transformed Palestine, and God rewarded the people by sending a bountiful harvest;
- Verses 39-43 - the author says that the former enslavers perish, and the Jewish people are restored.
We recommend studying Psalm 126
The text of Psalm 106, which tells the story of the captivity and exodus of the Jewish people, clearly shows the hand of the Lord protecting and helping pious people.
